Inhabitots | Your guide to green parenting, eco baby & green kids

Spit Cleaning Your Baby’s Pacifier May Lessen His Risk of Developing Eczema & Asthma

by Sherrell Dorsey, 05/22/13 filed under: baby gadgets, gear for parents, health & body, news

Image Courtesy of Shutterstock

Every parent has watched in slow motion horror as their baby’s beloved pacifier has fallen on public ground while out and about. And many parents have probably also used their own spit to suck the pacifier clean, when washing it off properly wasn’t an option. Turns out, this gesture may actually be beneficial to your baby. According to a new study published in Pediatrics and conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, sharing oral bacteria with your bambino may help keep your child from developing allergies including eczema and asthma.

Swapping spit with your kids is often debated across media platforms, scientists and parents. When Alicia Silverstone’s video of pre-chewing her baby’s food went viral, many people expressed both their support and their disapproval in regards to her methods. Though not completely conclusive, the study does draw on the positive relationship between parent-to-child microbial interaction and its promotion of the development of a child’s healthy immune system through established natural diversity of bacteria.

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3D Handcrafted Vintage Comic Letters Add Some Kapow! To Your Kid’s Room

by Beth Shea, 05/21/13 filed under: eco decor, eco toddler, green baby, green kids

Comic books of yore have given way to video games and iPads, but you can still give your little Superman or Wonder Woman an appreciation for the entertainment of your ancient history via a 3D handcrafted comic letter in his or her initial. Each limited-edition, one-of-a-kind letter is made to order from original vintage Beano, Superman, Batman or Bunty comic pages, and bonded to 100% recycled cardstock. You may request a certain comic be used to fashion your letter. Just don’t be surprised when your kid reads between the lines and says, “Holy Moly! This was what you did for fun?”

+ 3D Letter From Vintage Comics $57.45

+ Not on the High Street

High-Tech Baby Monitor Records Baby’s Vital Signs, Alerts Caregivers of Problems

by Sherrell Dorsey, 05/21/13 filed under: baby gadgets, kid gadgets, sleeping

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

What if the same mattress pad you put your baby to sleep on each day and night could tell you (and your doctor) when your little one comes down with a fever or if his breathing becomes irregular? A group of innovative students are only a prize win away from introducing a high-tech baby monitor that records a baby’s heartbeat, breathing and movement to keep parents on alert if their baby needs immediate medical attention. The “Miracle Workers” from Winona State University developed a sensor-filled pad to be placed on top of a baby’s crib mattress. Vitals and data are sent directly to an app on your and your doctor’s Windows smart phone. The students are currently competing for funding to push their product to fruition in the Imagine Cup technology competition hosted by Microsoft. They were unsuccessful in their attempt last year, when their initial motivation behind the high-tech mattress pad was to offer a product to address SIDS. The ambitious bunch hit a brick wall upon discovering the complicated red tape they would face within the FDA regulations and approval processes.

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Study Shows Bed Rest During Pregnancy May Not Decrease Risk of Premature Birth

by Jennifer Chait, 05/21/13 filed under: green family, green maternity, green pregnancy, prenatal

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

A new study published in a recent issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology notes that “therapeutic” bed rest during pregnancy may be over-recommended, and may actually cause harm to both mother-to-be and her baby. According to Obstetrics & Gynecology, as many as 95% of all obstetricians report that they’ve recommended bed rest or restricted activity for their patients, and about 20% of all pregnant women (800,000 a year) are prescribed bed rest. This new study reveals that putting pregnant women on bed rest should no longer be what the doctor orders. Researchers reported that almost 40% of the 646 pregnant women included in the study were ordered to restrict sexual, work and non-work activity. A whopping 37% of the women who followed these instructions had their baby prematurely, compared to 17% of the women who maintained their regular pattern of activity.

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The World’s First LEGO School Set to Open in Denmark!

by Morgana Matus, 05/21/13 filed under: education, green toys

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

The children of Denmark are about to become the envy of every kid on the planet. The International School of Billund will open its doors in August as the world’s very first LEGO school. The institution is the idea of the toy’s owner (and grandson of the founder of LEGO), multi-billionaire Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen. Students will learn under standards set by the international baccalaureate (IB) with the Danish school system alongside LEGO’s emphasis on fun and playful engagement.

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Juniorbeads: Cheery Nontoxic Necklaces for Stylish Girls

by Beth Shea, 05/20/13 filed under: green kids

Kids go from the teething stage to the terrible twos phase to becoming tween fashionistas before you know it. With this fast-paced evolution in mind, Chewbeads, the company behind the glorious nontoxic teething jewelry we previously featured for moms and babies, have added Juniorbeads to their colorful collection. These cheery and vibrant necklaces are not only hip, they’re completely safe for dress-up play and everyday wear for little ladies ages 3 and up. Juniorbeads are made from 100% silicone and free of BPA, phthalates, lead, cadmium and metals and countless other chemicals that typically taint fashion jewelry for kids. More features that set Juniorbeads apart: they can be cleaned in the dishwasher, and they have a breakaway clasp for added safety. A strand or two of Juniorbeads would make the perfect gift for a big sister, who can wear her necklace in tandem with mom wearing her Chewbeads. Available in an array of bold colors from cherry red to deep sea blue and punchy pink, to beads that glow in the dark, get your sweet gal some Juniorbeads before you wake up one morning and find she’s gone from tween to teen overnight.

+ Juniorbeads $19.50

+ Juniorbeads

Ready, Set, Baby! is a Digital Guide to Raising Baby for the iPad Generation of Parents

by Jennifer Chait, 05/20/13 filed under: baby feeding, books, breastfeeding, green baby, parenting

Parents of newborns and babies are never at a loss when it comes to baby related questions and quandaries, and Ready, Set, Baby! is a virtual dream come true for a new generation of moms and dads who are accustomed to having information at their fingertips (literally). Ready, Set, Baby! is a fully interactive e-book available for the iPad, iPhone, Nook and Kindle, so no matter where you are, you always have baby advice close at hand. The interactive book is written by award-winning author and producer Maureen Connolly (Unbuttoned, The Dr. Oz Show) but also features advice from 5 top notch experts including a board certified pediatrician, a nationally certified child passenger safety instructor, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, a pediatric sleep consultant and certified Gentle Sleep Coach and a DONA-trained postpartum doula. The book features a whopping 80 instructional videos, an easy-to-navigate interface, a pop-up glossary of terms, safety guidelines, and newborn and baby product suggestions. Additionally, Ready, Set, Baby! is paper-free, inexpensive and handy to carry around with you. Keep reading to learn more about this go-anywhere baby book.